


Time and Place

by thekey



Category: Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-12
Updated: 2020-05-12
Packaged: 2021-03-02 18:13:43
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 996
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24141130
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thekey/pseuds/thekey
Summary: Cere watches as you run to the hatch, looking outside. Your eyes light up, and she doesn’t have to look outside to know what – or, rather,who– could elicit such a reaction.Or, an unspoken confession of love proclaimed by a relieved reader after Cal returns to the Mantis from the ruined temple on Ilum.
Relationships: Cal Kestis/Reader
Comments: 4
Kudos: 66





	Time and Place

**Author's Note:**

> the game scene is tweaked a bit to fit what i was imagining. 
> 
> imported from my sideblog, @stellarbattle

You pace the Stinger Mantis worriedly, biting your fingernail as you went. From the corner of your eye, you can see the bogling Cal snuck in from Bogano peer out from under the holotable curiously, watching you with its head tilted. You smile slightly at the creature, offering it a tiny wave before turning around to pace yet again. 

You remember Cal waking you up in the middle of the night, pulling you out to see his secret. Playfulness had twinkled in his eyes even in the dark and quiet of the ship, and his trust in you had tugged at your heart and pulled it closer to his.

“This is something he needs to do on his own,” Cere reminds you from the sofa, a knowing look in her eye. 

You grimace, turning away from her. “I know, it’s just…” 

You walk to the cockpit then back.

“You can’t help but worry,” she finishes, smiling a bit. “Would it kill you to sit down? We’re all worried for cal.” 

“Speak for yourself, I like the break,” Greez speaks up. The captain of the stinger had his face practically buried inside the terrarium as he trimmed the plants inside, grown from seeds Cal would bring back from his adventures. 

Your heart twists, gaze lingering on the plants. 

Cal hadn’t been on the Mantis for long, and yet parts of him were strewn about everywhere. The bogling, the seeds, the spare lightsaber parts in the engine room. He had made the Mantis his home and also made a place for himself in your heart. 

Warmth spreads through you with the thought of him; the thought of his presence on the mantis, comforting and bright. Intelligent. Intuitive. Confident.

You touch a hand to your chest, eyebrows furrowing. “Should it be taking this long?” 

You look to Cere, the only Jedi currently on the Mantis, for an answer. There was that twinkle in her eye like she knew something you didn’t – she did, but not just about Jedi customs. About you and certain feelings that you’d never dare admit. She always saw through you (though you didn’t know to what degree just yet).

Cere bows her head and gives a light shrug. “It’ll take him however long it takes him.” 

You narrow your eyes at her and her cryptic answer. You can tell she enjoys holding this over your head. You pace the length of the ship once more. 

You remember how shaken Cal had been after sprinting for his life back to the stinger on Dathomir. The way he had held you close to him like he’d never had anyone to hold him before. You ached at his distress and wished you could dispel it with a wave of your hand. But you couldn’t, and there were fights he had to battle alone. And yet – 

“Couldn’t I have gone with him? I went on Zeffo.” 

Cere gives you a look. She doesn't even need to speak for you to know what she's trying to communicate. _You know the answer to that._

And yeah, you do. Stubborn, you turn your back to her yet again, this time moving to walk around the holotable. 

Cere thinks about how much alike you are to Cal but keeps the note to herself, deciding that there is a time and place for everything and that now was certainly not that time.

 _KRSCHHH._

Suddenly, the communicator crackles to life. Your eyes widen. 

“I’m here! I’m here,” cal’s voice rings from the communicator in the cockpit, out of breath but relieved nonetheless. “Right outside.” 

Cere watches as you run to the hatch, looking outside. Your eyes light up, and she doesn't have to look outside to know what – or, rather, _who_ – could elicit such a reaction. 

“Reckless Kestis,” you breath, the word framed by a laugh. 

Cal, sprinting to the mantis, huffs a breath of laughter. His features screw up in amusement at the nickname you’d dubbed him. 

BD-1 cooed at the sight of you. 

“Yeah, I’m excited too, buddy,” he whispers, for once glad for the distance between you and him. 

You wonder if he could pick up his pace a little but… why wait? 

Before you can even think to grab a jacket or listen to Cere’s protests, you’re flying down the ramp to meet him. 

Yeah, there’s a time and place for everything. Ilum, now littered with Imperial enforcements, is certainly not the place and therefore definitely not the time but whatever. 

Cal’s eyes widen in surprise. He stops running as you near him. 

He didn’t expect that. 

Nor did he expect you to tackle him into the snow. 

The two of you collapse in a heap of tangled limbs and laughter, BD-1 _woooo_ -ing in your ears. 

Cal holds you to him as you both roll in the snow, laughing in your ear. The sound is what you imagine a perfect afterlife to be like. 

When you both settle, he couldn't help but pull you closer to him, holding you tighter. 

“I did it,” he says. 

He did, the beautiful boy.

You laugh, the sound overflowing with relief and pride. “I knew you would.”

You pull away slightly, smiling at him. 

He grins back and you feel your whole entire being ease and melt. _Maker_ , you’d gather the stars and carry them across the galaxy just to see him smile like that again.

“Hey! we got places to be!” Greez’s voice calls from the Mantis. 

“One sec, Greez!” Cal shouts back, his eyes not leaving yours for a single moment. 

“I...” The words are there, they were on the tip of your tongue. 

And yet they don't need to be said. The feeling flows between the two of you, full and alive and warm and exciting.

He nods, his red hair shaking along with it. He knows. “Yeah. Me too.” 

Cal pulls you to him once more, closing his eyes. Relishing in the feeling. 

Triumph. 

Hope.

And once more:

“Me too.”


End file.
